Rental Affordability still at critical levels in South Australia

Anglicare’s 2015 annual Rental Affordability Snapshot was launched at Parliament House in Canberra on 29th April, supported by key peak bodies representing the aged, young people, people with mental health issues, women escaping domestic violence and people with disability.

The South Australian Snapshot was undertaken by AnglicareSA in conjunction with the Australian Centre for Community Services Research at Flinders University.

Rev’d Peter Sandeman, CEO of Anglicare SA said “Over the six years we’ve been undertaking the Rental Affordability Snapshot, AnglicareSA has repeatedly demonstrated that housing unaffordability is at crisis levels for people living on low incomes across the Adelaide and greater South Australian region.”

This year, the statistics continue to be alarming.

This year we surveyed rental properties available in the Adelaide region over the weekend of April 11 2015. The survey used rental listings on realestate.com.au.

On the day of data collection, 3394 properties were identified as available for rent in Adelaide. Of those, only 107 were suitable for rent by households on income support payment. This was equivalent to only 3% of the rental market.

Less than 1% of private rental houses were affordable to those households living on Newstart and youth allowance (including those with children), as well as those reliant on the Parenting Payment Single

Only 2% of private rentals were affordable to aged pensioners rentals and less than 0.1% affordable to singles aged 21 and over living on the Disability Support Pension.

Only 0.5% of properties were accessible to households with no children receive the minimum wage.

Rev’d Peter Sandeman said “This urgently needs to be addressed with a coordinated approach to addressing housing affordability, and we’re willing to work with all levels of government to make this happen”

The following have been identified as the key priorities:

Increase social housing stock, sustainably and responsibly

Recognise the importance of adequate income for people on low income

Create a tax system that makes affordable housing more available

Increase housing stock that matches changing population needs

Federal Government to take national leadership and work in collaboration with the community sector and state and territory governments.

As one of South Australia’s largest providers of social and affordable housing, Anglicare SA currently provide housing to nearly 700 homes to people on lower incomes.

Rev’d Sandeman says “We are working to broaden the ways we can support people who are struggling in the current housing environment.

“We will continue to work with all tiers of government to explore new models for delivering social and affordable housing, continue to look at ways we can increase the number of people to whom we can provide affordable housing solutions to and continue to supplement those housing solutions with broader social and community services that enhance the lives of the people who call those places home.”